by Sun
Officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Department Control on Monday demolished the Abuja home of Second Republic Senate president, Dr. Joseph Wayas, for allegedly encroaching on an adjoining plot of land.
The Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of the adjoining Plot 4069, Asokoro, Daily Sun gathered, was originally issued to the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh.
Witnesses told Daily Sun that Development Control officials, wielding pick-axes and sledgehammers had demolished the entire eastern flank of Wayas’s house. An associate of the 71-year old former Senate president said the demolition caught them unaware.
He accused the FCTA officials of trespassing on Wayas’s property reportedly issued over 13 years ago, saying they were considering seeking legal redress. When Daily Sun visited, the area was littered with pieces of freshly broken blocks. An entire section of the fence had been levelled, exposing Wayas’s living area.
However, Media Head of Development Control, Mrs. Mudasiru Josie told Daily Sun that the demolition came as a last resort after several futile attempts to make the former Senate president remove the “offending part” of his building. “The Department has removed the fence, but the abandoned swimming pool and other structures that encroached will need to go so that the owner of plot 4069 can have access to his plot. We have maps, pictures and copies of the minister’s letter to prove all these,” she told Daily Sun.
Another official disclosed that a C of O dated July 2, 2012 for File No. AN 68862 was duly issued Metuh for Plot 4069. According to the C of O, Metuh’s plot measured about 1800 square meters.
The official also produced a letter he said was from the FCTA Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, to Senator Wayas.
The letter dated December 27, 2012, with reference number FCDA/DC/BP/PHSS/II/11732, was captioned “Encroachment on Plot 4069, Asokoro.”